Lock for the engines of automobiles and other vehicles.



G. R. OBRIEN. LOCK FOR THE ENGINES 0F AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER VEHICLES. APPLICATION man FEB. 5. 1917.

1 ,@%%6@ D Patented Nov. 20, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET '1 Zulu e/ralZor 6. R. O'BRIEN. LOCK FOR THE ENGINES 0F AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED FEB. s. 1917.

1 QQYIEUEQ Patented Nov. 20, 1917.

3 sHEETs-sHEET 2.

n l fluerbi'or 54 f lvj Gerald R. Oj rer G. R. O'BRIEN.

LOCK FOR THE ENGINES 0F AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER VEHICLES.,

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5. I917.

- 6@5 Q Patented Nov. 20, 191?.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

@er'a Zd P. @fBrierL GERALD It. O'BRIEN, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

LOOK FOR THE ENGINES 0F AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER, VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 26, 19117.

Application flled February 5, 1917. Serial No. 146,864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GERALD R. OBRIEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Looks for the Engines of Automobiles and other Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

Its object is to provide a simple, durable and efiicient device designed to be attached to an automobile chassis frame and engine crankshaft and adapted to securely interlock the crankshaft with the frame, thus preventing the operation of the engine and protecting the vehicle from unauthorized use.

A further object is to provide a device of this kind which cannot be taken apart or detached when interlocked without the use of a proper .key.

A further object is to supply a device of this character having inclosed therein a switch in the starting-motor circuit of the vehicle, adapted to break said circuit when the device is locked.

These and other objects will be more fully pointed out in the following specification and in the claims appended thereto.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal central sectional view of a device embodying my invention and illustrates the same as applied to the chassis frame and engine crankshaft of an automobile; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view in detail with the cover removed and illustrates in dotted lines an emergency crank in operative position within the revoluble clutch member; Fig. 3 is an elevation showing the interior of the base and also shows in dotted lines the head of the revoluble clutch member; Fig. 4 is an elevation illustrating the interior of the cover and the sliding clutch member there in; Fig. 5 is an elevation of my improved lock showing a key (dotted lines) inserted therein, the dust-cap being turned back to permit the insertion of said key; and Fig. 6 is a detail view showing an end elevation of the revoluble clutch member.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that my lock consists of a base A, which is secured to the chassis frame of an automobile, a revoluble clutch member 18, designed to be rigidly attached to the end of the engine crankshaft, a cover C for said base, a slidable clutch member D, carried in said cover and adapted to engage said revoluble clutch member, and a switch E, for the starting-motor circuit, having a springpressed plunger arranged to be engaged by the sllding clutch member, so that the circult to the starting-motor of the vehicle may be broken when the device is locked. The base A of my lock is a plate 10, having a central aperture 11 and a cylindrical exten- S10I1 12 which'is threaded externally at its outer margin. The cover 0 consists of a head 13, formed with an axial bore 17 and having an annular flange 14 thereon which is threaded internally to receive the external threads on said base. The rim of said cylindrical extension 12 has radial recesses 15 cut therem and these recesses register with grooves 16 formed in the inner periphery of the flange 14: on the cover C. A barrel 18 is slidably fitted in the bore 17 and forms a mounting for the clutch member D, which consists of a disk 19 having radial lugs 20 projecting from the rim thereof and extendlng into the grooves 16 in the flange 14, said disk being perforated axially to receive the end of the barrel 18 upon which it is shrunk or otherwise suitably secured. The revoluble clutch member B comprises a sleeve 21, having an annular enlargement 22 at one end, formed with radial notches 23 in its edge, said notches being arranged to register in predetermined positions of the engine shaft with the recesses 15 in the base A. The sleeve 21 fits over the end of the crankshaft 24 of the engine and is preferably secured thereto by means of a spline 25 and set-nut 26. Said sleeve is provided with a pin 27 passing diametrically therethrough to receive the ratchet end of an ordinary hand-crank, hereinafter described.

By reason of the registration of the grooves 16 and recesses 15, and that of the notches 23 with the recesses 15, as heretofore stated, it will be apparent that in certain positions of said shaft, each notch 23 in the clutch member B registers with one set of said registering grooves 16 and recesses 15, at which times the sliding clutch member 1D is shifted by the spring 28 toward its conipanion clutch member B, the lugs 20 entering the recesses 15 and notches 23, so that the lugs 20 lock the cover of the device against rotation with respect to the base and also secure the clutch member 13 against rotation.

The above-mentioned sprin 28 is seated in an annular recess 29 in the cad 13 of the cover 0, and bears a ainst the slidable clutch member D to shi t said member and enga e the same with the revoluble clutch mem er B. I return said clutch member by means of a key adapted to actuate any sultable locking mechanism within the barrel 18) designed to secure t e 'slidable clutch member D 1I1' 0 en and closed positions. This locking mec anism includes a sprmgpressed latch-bolt 31 which rests in a depression 32 in the periphery of the bore 17 1n said cover and holds the clutch member D in open position against the action of the s ring 28. Said latch-bolt 31 also engages t e shoulder 33 on said cap (dotted lines, Fig. 1) when the clutch is closed and prevents the withdrawal of the clutch member D, exce t by the use of the key.

It will be noted that the lugs 20 will not ass into the notches 23 of the clutch memer B unless said notches register with the recesses 15 in the base A. To avoid the necessity of turning the engine shaft to obtain such registratlon, I arrange the clutch members B and D so that the former when released from open position may move a slight distance before the lugs 20 strike the annular enlargement 22 on the rotary clutch member B. If an attempt is now made to start the engine, it is arrested by theclosing of the clutch when registration between the. recesses 15 and notches 23 occurs. The initial movement of the sliding clutch member D inserts the lugs 20 in the recesses 15, thus securing the cover C against rotation on the base A and preventing the removal of the former from the latter.

To prevent meddlers with improvised app)liances from retracting the clutch member when the lugs 20 have not yet registered with the notches 23, I form a second depression 34 in the wall of the bore 17 which extends from the inner end of the bore to a point near the first-mentioned depression 32. The shoulder 35 at the end of said depression 34 engages the latch-bolt 31, unless entirely withdrawn by means of a key, and prevents the entrance of said latch-bolt into the depression 32.

To exclude, dust and to otherwise protect the locking mechanism within the barrel 18, I furnish a cap 36 which is hinged within an enlargement 37 of the bore 17 and yieldingly held in closed position by a springclip 36 thereon.

he switch E is inclosed within the base A of my lock and is o erated by the uppermost lug 20 of the sliding clutch member D. Referring particularly to Fig. 1, wherein a suitable switch is shown, it will be seen that an insulating block 38 is fastened within said base A b means of screws 39 passing through thep ate 10. A bore40-and recess the clutc member D impinges. In the recess 41 I arrange a contact spring 47 and contact plate 48, said spring and plate beingconnected with binding posts 49 passing through said block 38 and provided with nuts 50 on one side therof. The contact spring 47 normally presses against the contact plate 48 and completes the circuit throu h wires 51, which are attached to said b1nding post 49 and connected with the starting-motor and source of current. The tip of said contact spring 47 lies in the path 0 the rib 44 on the plunger 42 and when said plunger is moved rearward by the clutch member D, said spring is bent so that its contact with the plate 48 is broken and the top thereof held beneath said rib. It will be noted that the lunger 42 is arranged so that upon the lnitial movement of the clutch member D the switch will be opened and the driving-motor thereby disconnected from the source of current. This prevents the turning of the engine crankshaft by means of the starting-motor, in the event that the lugs 20 fail to register with the notches 23 in the clutch member B. If said lugs register with said notches, the plunger is pushed to the end of its throw and the spring 47 is held back by reason of its sliding contact with the rib 44. When the device is unlocked by returning the sliding .clutch member D to inoperative position, the coiled spring 43 presses the plunger forward, thus releaslng the contact sprm 47 which engages the contact plate 48 and again completing the circuit through the switch.

In applying m improved lock, the base A is secured to t e front cross-piece of the chassis frame by means of bolts 52, passing through registering apertures in the plate 10 and said cross-piece. Nuts 53 on these bolts are arranged within the base and are therefore accessible only-when the cover C is removed from the base. Said cover is finally threaded on the base A, care being taken that registration is secured between the grooves 16 and recesses 15. It will be seen, therefore, that the cover C is protected against removal when the clutch is closed, and that the base A is secure against detachment from the chassis frame. A still further safeguard is resent in that longitudinal movement of the clutch member B tending to disengage the same fro-m the companion clutch member D is prevented by the switch E which occupies substantially memos i all of the space, at the top of the cover, be-

tween the plate 10 and the enlargement 22 on the clutch member B.

The sleeve 21 is adapted to receive an emergency crank 54 (Fig. 2) when the cover 0 is removed from the base A, and the pin 27 in said sleeve, is designed to be engaged by the ratchet end of said crank, thereby connecting the crank with the engine shaft.

In use, when it is desired to lock a vehicle to which my device is applied, the key 30 is inserted in the barrel 18 and turned to withdraw the latch-bolt 31 from the recess 32, whereupon the spring 28 pushes the sliding clutch member D rearward. Upon the initial movement of said clutch member, the lugs 20 enter the recesses 15 in the base A and the upper lug impinges against the plunger 42 and presses the same slightly rearward, thus locking the cover with respect to the base and at the same time breaking the circuit through said switch E. If the notches 23 in the revoluble clutch member B register with the recesses in the base A, said lugs 20 enter said recesses and secure said clutch member B against rotation. If the position of the crankshaft is such that this registration does not occur at once, the lugs 20 abut against the enlargement 22 of said clutch member B and rest in such position until registration between said notches and recesses is secured by the turning of the engine shaft, whereupon said lugs enter said notches and lock the clutch member B, as above described. In unlocking the device, the key 30 is turned to withdraw the 1atch-bolt 31 from engagement with the shoulder 33 on the head 13 of the cover (7 and the clutch member D is thereupon retracted against the action of the spring 28 by pulling upon the key 30. Said key is then turned to allow engagement of the latch-bolt 31 with the recess 32 and is finally withdrawn from the barrel 18.

Having described my invention, what 1 claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with an automobile frame and engine crankshaft, of a base adapted to be secured to said frame, a cover threaded on said base, a revoluble clutch member attached to the crankshaft and arranged to turn within said base, and a key-controlled clutch member slidable in and adapted to lock the cover upon said base and also prevent revolution of the clutch member.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with an automobile frame and engine crankshaft, of a base, bolts passing through the base and frame and having nuts thereon within said base, a cover for the base, a revoluble clutch member attached to the crankshaft and arranged to for the base, a slidable key-controlled clutch member within the cover, and an electric switch within the base included within the starting-motor circuit, said slidable clutch member being adapted to lock the cover upon the base and actuate said switch to break the circuit therethrough and also secure the revoluble clutch member.

4. In a device of the class described, the

combination with the frame, engine crank-' shaft and starting-motor circuit of an automobile, of a housing adapted to be secured upon the frame, a revoluble clutch member attached to the engine crankshaft and arranged to turn within said housing, a slidable key-controlled clutch member in the housing, and a switch also within the housing electrically connected with the startingmotor circuit, said slidable clutch member being adapted to secure the revoluble clutch member and actuate said switch to break the circuit therethrough.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with the frame and engine crankshaft of an automobile, of a base adapted to be secured to the frame, a cover threaded on the base, said base and cover being respectively provided with recesses and grooves which register with each other, a revoluble clutch member secured upon the engine crankshaft and having notches there in, a second clutch member slidable in the cover and supplied with lugs adapted to simultaneously engage said grooves, recesses and notches to thereby lock said cover on said base and secure said revoluble clutch member against rotation.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with the frame and engine crankshaft of an automobile, of a base adapted to be secured to, the frame thereof, a revoluble clutch member attached to the engine crankshaft and arranged to turn within the base, a cover for said base, a slidable clutch member secured within the cover against rotation, a spring to slide said clutch member into engagement with said revoluble clutch member, a key-controlled mechanism for locking said slidable clutch member both in and out of engagement with the revoluble clutch member, and a key for said mechanism serving also as a pull to return the slidable clutch member against the action of said spring.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with the frame, the engine crankshaft and a starting-motor circuit of an automobile, of a base adapted to be secured upon the frame thereof, a revoluble clutch member! attached to the engine crankshaft and arranged to turn within said base, a cover on the base, an axially slidable co-acting clutch member secured within said cover against rotation, a key-controlled mechanism in the cover including a springpressed latch-bolt adapted to engage the cover at predetermined points and lock said slidable clutch member in different positions therein, and a switch within the base included within said starting-motor circuit and having a spring-pressed plunger arranged to be actuated by the slidable clutch member, whereby the switch is opened and the circuit therethrough broken.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with the frame, engine crankshaft, starting-motor circuit and emergency crank of an automobile, of a base adapted to be secured upon the frame, a revoluble clutch member including a sleeve adapted to be secured at one end upon the engine crankshaft and havin a pin passing diametrically therethroug a switch within the base included in said circuit, a detachable cover for the base, a slidable key-controlled "clutch member in the cover adapted to secure said revoluble clutch member and actuate said switch to break the circuit therethrough, said sleeve being ada ted to receive the end of said cranksha t when the cover is removed and said pin bein signed' to engage the ratchet end 0 crank. I I

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with the frame, engine crankshaft and starting-motor circuit of an automobile, of a base ada ted to be secured upon the frame, a revolu 1e clutch member attached to the'en ine crankshaft and arranged to turn wit in said base, a cover for the base, a slidable key-controlled clutch member within the cover, an electric switch within the base included within the starting-motor circuit, said slidable clutch member being adapted to lock the cover upon the base and actuate said switchto break the circuit therethrough and also secure the revoluble clutch member, and said switch being arranfged to block the longitudinal movement 0 the revoluble clutch member in a direction to withdraw the same from engagement with said slidable clutch member.

Whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name to this specification.

GERALD R. OBRIEN.

said 

